Political scientist and media critic

June 06, 2006

More conservative attacks on McCain '08

Newt Gingrich's triumph in a Minnesota GOP straw poll of support for potential 2008 candidates is meaningless, but the message circulated by state party leaders is not:

Delegates received a two-page letter warning that McCain is widely viewed as the front-runner, creating "a significant risk that a moderate candidate will get the Republican nomination in 2008."

The letter was signed by some of the state party's most influential leaders, including National Committeeman Brian Sullivan, former chairman Chris Georgacas, former National Committee member Jack Meeks, and Mike Wigley, a founder of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.

While both McCain and Giuliani have been "steadfast supporters of the war on terror," the letter said, "between them they have supported tax hikes, free speech restrictions, amnesty for illegal immigrants, gay marriage and abortion."

Comments

That's a rather sneaky one, isn't it, to say "between them..."?
McCain has supported what some would term free-speech restrictions, via McCain-Feingold, and what some would term amnesty, and he's opposed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, though he opposes gay marriage as well. I doubt McCain-Feingold would really hit him hard even among primary voters, but immigration and the way the votes against the constitutional amendment can be spun might be big problems for him. He's safe on abortion and taxes, though.

Oh completely true. In fact I think if she's nominated it's almost certain she'll lose if not on the issues on her dearth of personal charm. But for now, the party muckety mucks think she's the bees knees. Once primary season begins they'll see how much appeal Hillary has in Iowa and the southern Super Tuesday states.